04.10.09

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , April 10, 2009

The Ultimate Hope of the Resurrection Dear Friends in Christ,

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arly in the morning on the day after the Sabbath, three women went to the tomb where our Lord had been buried. They heard these words, which are the first proclamation of Christ’s Resurrection: “Do not be afraid! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised” (Mk 16:6). These words once again announce to us the powerful message of Easter. In fact, they give us great hope!

C

urrently our world faces economic difficulty and financial crisis. Many men and women in the Diocese of Fall River are troubled by the threat of pay cuts, hardship, and unemployment. When looking to the future, some individuals may feel anxiety and even desperation. Uncertainty darkens the daily lives of hardworking people. In response, the Gospel tells us “Do not be afraid!”

“Y

ou seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.” Our Lord became man not to remain aloof from our suffering. Instead, he stands in solidarity with us against the many evils that afflict our world, including poverty, sickness, and violence. Through his Passion, Jesus lovingly associates himself with all of humanity’s pain. He was humiliated and punished for our sins. He died to give us life. He is the One our hearts seek.

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he tomb is not the end of the story; death does not have the last word. “He has been raised.” This is the constant truth that comforts us in all our trials. The light of the Resurrection shines upon us. The Risen Christ brings us great hope. Through the Church community and through its liturgy and sacraments, our living God accompanies us concretely and gives us all the possibility of new life.

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oday we celebrate Christ’s victory over death. After the defeat of the Cross, we profess our faith in the Resurrection with certainty. Together with the whole Church, we rejoice in the manifestation of God’s glory and the gift of eternal life — the ultimate hope of Easter!

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ith prayerful wishes that the living presence and blessings of the Risen Christ remain with each of you and with your families this Easter, I am Sincerely yours in the Lord, Bishop of Fall River

BEHOLD THE MAN — This stained glass, from Sacred Heart Church in Fall River, bids all Catholics today to look on the one pierced for our offenses.

News From the Vatican

2

April 10, 2009

Answering God’s call to religious life is based on trust, says pope

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Embracing a religious vocation is not about feeling worthy or strong enough to be one of God’s privileged ministers and witnesses, said Pope Benedict XVI. It is about trusting God so much that one can answer God’s divine call without hesitation, he said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

“What is asked of those who are called, for their part, is careful listening and prudent discernment, a generous and willing adherence to the divine plan, and a serious study of the reality that is proper to the priestly and religious vocations, so as to be able to respond responsibly and with conviction,” he said.

The papal message for the day of prayer, which will be observed May 3 in most countries, was released at the Vatican. The 2009 theme is “Faith in the Divine Initiative — The Human Response.”

In his message, Pope Benedict said it is God who chooses some to follow his Son, Jesus, more closely and to put themselves fully at the service of the Church.

Answering God’s call “is never patterned after the timid self-interest of the worthless servant who, out of fear, hid the talent entrusted to him in

The Anchor

the ground,” the pope said, citing Matthew’s Gospel parable of the talents.

Rather, it is a prompt and “ready adherence to the Lord’s invitation,” which is rooted in complete trust in God’s plan, he said.

The pope acknowledged the “worrisome shortage of priests” in some parts of the world as well as the difficulties and obstacles the Church can encounter.

However, God’s children can find strength in their unshakeable faith that God is firmly guiding the Church toward the fullness of the kingdom and it is the Lord “who freely chooses persons of every culture and of every age and invites them to follow him according to the mysterious plans of his merciful love,” he said.

While God calls some people to special forms of service, all Catholics have a duty to keep God’s appeal for vocations to the priesthood and religious life constantly in their prayers.

“We must pray that the whole Christian people grows in its trust in God, convinced that the ‘Lord of the harvest’ does not cease to ask some to place their entire existence freely at his service so as to work with him more closely in the mission of salvation,” he said.

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UNDER SCRUTINY — This is an overall view of the Legionaries of Christ Seminary in Cheshire, Conn. The Vatican has ordered an apostolic visitation of the institutions of the Legionaries of Christ following disclosures of sexual impropriety by the order’s late founder, Father Marcial Maciel Degollado. (CNS photo/courtesy Legionaries of Christ)

Vatican orders apostolic visitation of Legionaries of Christ locations

By John Thavis Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has ordered an apostolic visitation of the institutions of the Legionaries of Christ following disclosures of sexual impropriety by the order’s late founder, Father Marcial Maciel Degollado.

The announcement of the unusual investigation was posted on the Website of the Legionaries of Christ March 31, along with the text of a letter informing the Legionaries of the pope’s decision.

The letter, written by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the pope wanted to help the Legionaries of Christ deal with its current problems with “truth and transparency.” It said the visitation would be carried out by “a team of prelates,” who were not identified.

Apostolic visitation is a form of internal Church investigation ordered by a pope and undertaken by his delegate or delegates.

The pope sets the jurisdiction and powers of the visitation, which usually ends with the submission of a report to the Holy See. In February, Legionaries of Christ officials in Rome disclosed that Father Maciel had fathered a child. Sources in Rome

said the order was also looking into accusations of financial irregularities by Father Maciel.

In the past, Father Maciel had been accused of sexually abusing young seminarians in the order. After investigating those allegations, the Vatican in 2006 told Father Maciel to renounce public ministry as a priest and spend the rest of his life in prayer and penitence; the Vatican did not, however, confirm that sexual abuse had occurred.

Father Maciel died Jan. 30, 2008, at the age of 87.

Cardinal Bertone’s one-page letter, dated March 10, was addressed to Father Alvaro Corcuera, director general of the Legionaries and its lay association, Regnum Christi.

“The Holy Father is aware of the noble ideals that inspire you and the fortitude and prayerful spirit with which you are facing the current vicissitudes, and he encourages you to continue seeking the good of the Church and society by means of your own distinctive initiatives and institutions,” the cardinal’s letter said.

“In this regard, you can always count on the help of the Holy See, so that with truth and transparency, in a climate of fraternal and constructive dialogue, you will overcome the present difficulties. In this respect, the

Holy Father has decided to carry out an apostolic visitation to the institutions of the Legionaries of Christ through a team of prelates,” it said.

Details of the visitation were not made public in the announcement. Jim Fair, the order’s U.S. spokesman, said the order knew little more than what the letter stated.

“We know they’re going to be visiting. We’ll cooperate and prepare. But all we know is what’s on the site,” Fair told Catholic News Service.

Father Corcuera said in an online statement that the visitation “is the beginning of a process in which the Legion will fully and gratefully participate.” He said it would begin after Easter and would probably last several months.

“We are ready to welcome the visitors to our centers and institutions with faith and supernatural spirit, cooperating with them and facilitating their mission,” he said.

In a letter to Legionaries posted on the site, Father Corcuera said he had thanked Pope Benedict “from my heart for offering us this additional help to face our present vicissitudes related to the grave facts of our founder’s life.”

Referring to the accusations of sexual abuse investigated in 2006 and the more recent disclosures, Father Corcuera said: “We are deeply saddened and sorry, and we sincerely ask for forgiveness from God and from those who have been hurt through this.”

U.S. Legionaries Father Thomas D. Williams said the apostolic visitation was a necessary and welcome step, one that can restore confidence and credibility for the future.

April 10, 2009

The International Church

Orissa Catholic refugees turn to prayer amid continued threats B y Anto Akkara C atholic N ews Service

TIANGIA, India — As the sun went down, dozens of Catholics gathered in the refugee camp’s vacant tent in the troubled Kandhamal district of India’s Orissa state. While those who came early found space in the tent — large enough for 100 people — others stood outside as a local catechist led the Way of the Cross.

With the Orissa government banning religious practice outside the tent and allowing only private worship, the refugees were forced to pray the Stations and rosary inside the tent. They switched between kneeling and standing for each station.

“Continuous prayer is helping us cope with our trials,” catechist Ranjit Nayak told Catholic News Service.

Besides an early morning Way of the Cross and an extra one on Friday afternoons, during Lent Catholics also recite the rosary together every evening inside the camp.

Extremist Hindu-led rioting and violence that began in Orissa state in August and lasted about seven weeks displaced 50,000 people, mostly Christians. The violence claimed more than 60 lives. Seven Christians were killed in Tiangia alone, and most of the houses owned by Christians in the area were looted and destroyed.

Nayak was caught in the violence.

VATICAN CITY — Celebrating Mass on Palm Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI said daily self-sacrifice in imitation of Christ was the key to the Christian life.

“Sacrifice and renunciation belong to the just life. Whoever promises a life without this continuing gift of self is fooling people,” the pope said during the liturgy in St. Peter’s Square April 5.

The papal liturgy began with a procession of hundreds of cardinals, bishops, priests and lay people, who carried palms and olive branches in commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before his passion and death.

At the head of the procession, nine young people from Australia carried the World Youth Day cross to the altar, where it was later consigned to a group of Spanish youths for the next international celebration of World Youth Day in Madrid.

The pope, his red vestments resplendent in the sunshine, carried a braided garland of palm fronds across the cobblestoned square. It was the first of seven major Holy Week events for the pope, who turns 82 later in the month.

In his homily, Pope Benedict commented on Jesus’ words after his entry into Jerusalem: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”

Christ’s message was that the person who wants to live only for himself and exploit all life’s possibilities for personal gain finds that life itself becomes “boring and empty,” the pope said.

The principle of love, which is at the heart of the Christian faith and is exemplified in Christ’s crucifixion, demands a more universal vision that looks outward and not just inward, he said.

This orientation toward others involves not only a “single great decision” in a person’s life, which is relatively easy, the pope said, but must be a

continuing attitude implemented daily in everyday situations.

“No successful life exists without sacrifice. When I look back on my personal life, I have to say that precisely the times when I said ‘Yes’ to a sacrifice were the greatest and most important moments of my life,” he said.

The pope said the days Jesus spent in Jerusalem also highlight the fact that self-sacrifice produces inner doubt and anguish. Even Jesus asked whether he should turn to God and say: “Father, save me from this hour.”

That Jesus suffered in this way offers an insight into prayer, which sometimes involves questioning and lament in the face of suffering and injustice, the pope said. Everyone can and should pray this way, he said.

“Before God, we shouldn’t take refuge in pious phrases, in a fictitious world. To pray always signifies struggling with God, too,” he said.

At the end of the liturgy, the Australian young people transferred the tall wooden cross and an icon of Mary to a group of young Spaniards, who were taking the two symbols on a spiritual pilgrimage ahead of the next World Youth Day international gathering in Madrid in 2011.

The pope recalled that he presided over World Youth Day events in Sydney, Australia, last summer. He said the cross’s pilgrimage was deeply symbolic.

“The cross is in movement from one side of the world to the other, from sea to sea. And we are accompanying it,” he said.

The 2011 encounter has as its theme: “Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith.” The quotation is taken from the Chapter 2 of St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians.

“The World Youth Days demonstrate the dynamism of the Church and its eternal youth. Whoever loves Christ loves the church with the same passion, because it allows us to live in a close relationship with the lord,” he said.

Self-sacrifice is key to Christian life, pope says on Palm Sunday

After running for his life from a Hindu mob in the mountains, Nayak eventually hid under a rock outcropping. The mob reached his hiding spot, climbed onto the rock and shouted for the others to search for Nayak.

“I was mortified and started saying (the) rosary. By the time I finished two mysteries, heavy rain started and they went back,” he recalled.

The refugee camp in Tiangia was opened by the Orissa government in early February to bring the displaced Christians closer to their villages. But Catholics in the camps say Hindus are telling them they cannot return home unless they convert to Hinduism.

Father Praful Sabapati said the situation in Tiangia “is still very tense.”

The priest, who works in the parish in Tiangia, spoke to CNS from the refugee camp run by the Missionaries of Charity at Janla, more than 150 miles from Tiangia.

Though Tiangia has more than 180 Catholic families, the first Mass in the area since August was celebrated in February on Ash Wednesday, inside the refugee camp — guarded by federal soldiers. It was also the first time a priest had been there since the August violence, said Father Sabapati.

In late February, Hindus quietly watched as refugees, accompanied by Orissa officials and police, assessed damage to their houses in a village near Tiangia. But as soon as the officials left in their vehicles, extremist Hindus took

3 out weapons and chased the Christians, shouting “You can come back here only as Hindus,” said Goliath Digal.

Chandrakant Digal, a Catholic refugee, told CNS, “We thought our ordeal was over when we were taken (by government officials) back to our village.”

But the Hindus in the village bluntly told them they could not return, he said.

Half a dozen Catholic families moved to open land near Raikia and pitched tents of torn plastic sheets and leaves.

Despite such hardship, the refugees have shown “exemplary faith,” said Father Bijay Pradhan, parish priest of Raikia.

“Our church is still full despite continued threats for our people to become Hindus. They are very firm in their faith,” said Father Pradhan, pointing out that the houses of 600 of the 750 Catholic families in his parish had been looted, damaged or burned during the anti-Christian violence.

Deacon Ranjit Pradhan said the violence “has made me more motivated to become a priest.” He hopes to be ordained later this year.

“The faith our people have shown in the situation makes me think of the early Christians who were prepared to die for their faith,” said Deacon Pradhan, who is from Tiangia. His house was torched and his mother remains a refugee while his brothers have fled the Kandhamal district.

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The Church in the U.S.

4

Jury gives priest 50 years in prison in retrial on sex abuse charges

EASTLAND, Texas (CNS) — A Texas jury has found a suspended Catholic priest guilty of raping and molesting an 11-year-old boy in the early 1990s and sentenced him to 50 years in prison.

In 2007 Father Thomas Teczar was sentenced to 25 years after being convicted on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. But his conviction was overturned on appeal based on a witness’s testimony and a new trial was ordered.

According to news reports, the jury in the priest’s second trial on the same charges took less than an hour to find him guilty. On March 27, his 68th birthday, jurors gave the priest a 50-year sentence.

According to a story by The Associated Press, Father Teczar testified that he was innocent and claimed he did not know his accuser, who is now 30. But he also “admitted to being sexually attracted to teen-age boys,” AP said.

Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Worcester, Mass., in 1967, Father Teczar moved to Texas, where his brother lives, in the early ’80s after the Worcester Diocese barred him from ministering there after abuse allegations surfaced against him.

Father Teczar served at several parishes in the Diocese of Fort

Worth from 1988 to 1993. After abuse allegations against him in 1993, he returned to Massachusetts, according to news reports.

In 1998 an investigation by The Dallas Morning News daily newspaper led to Father Teczar’s eventual prosecution after it found that he had left Texas after refusing to answer a county grand jury’s questions about abuse accusations made against him.

The Worcester Diocese, with the support of the Fort Worth Diocese, has initiated the process for his laicization by the Vatican.

In December 2007, the Fort Worth Diocese reached a settlement with alleged victims of Father Teczar through mediation of a lawsuit brought against the diocese. At the request of the plaintiffs the amount of the settlement was not released.

Afterward Fort Worth Bishop Kevin W. Vann, in apologizing on behalf of the Church, said that “sexual abuse of anyone, especially minors, is repulsive to me.”

“It is a sin and a crime. That it is done by a priest is disheartening,” he said. “It results in a tragic damage to your faith, your families and the public at large. As a priest, I am embarrassed, disheartened, appalled and angered by this behavior.”

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April 10, 2009

Three years of polls show Catholic, non-Catholic views on moral issues

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Telephone polling of Catholics and non-Catholics during three years shows the degree of difference between the two groups on abortion, the death penalty and other moral issues about which the Catholic Church has spoken.

According to figures released by the Gallup Organization in Princeton, N.J., only on the abortion issue did a minority of Catholics overall find it acceptable — 40 percent compared to 41 percent for non-Catholics.

The only other moral issue which Catholics overall found less acceptable than non-Catholics was the death penalty, but substantial majorities — 61 percent of Catholics and 68 percent of non-Catholics — still found capital punishment morally acceptable.

Besides abortion and the death penalty, other moral issues covered by the polling included sex outside marriage, divorce, gambling, homosexual activity and having a baby outside of wedlock.

The polling figures were taken from Gallup’s 2006, 2007 and 2008 Values and Beliefs surveys, in which 3,022 respondents were polled. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points, which means that Gallup has a 95 percent degree of confidence that, were the survey to be repeated, the results would be within two percentage points of the current results.

Even when separated from Catholics and non-Catholics who attend church regularly, a majority of Catholics polled

found a majority of the issues raised to be morally acceptable — and, with the exception of the death penalty, declared the issues to be more morally acceptable than their non-Catholic counterparts.

On the issue of embryonic stem-cell research, 63 percent of Catholics overall believe the practice to be morally acceptable, compared to 62 percent of non-Catholics. Among regular churchgoers, 53 percent of Catholics approve of it while 45 percent of non-Catholics do.

Catholics tended to find other practices to be morally acceptable as well: — sex between an unmarried man and woman: 67 percent of all Catholics and 57 percent of all non-Catholics said it was acceptable; among regular churchgoers, 53 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of non-Catholics said it was acceptable; — divorce: 71 percent of all Catholics, 67 percent of all non-Catholics; among regular churchgoers, 63 percent of Catholics, 46 percent of nonCatholics; — having a baby outside marriage: 61 percent of all Catholics, 52 percent of all non-Catholics; among regular churchgoers, 48 percent of Catholics, 29 percent of non-Catholics; — gambling: 72 percent of all Catholics, 59 percent of all non-Catholics; among regular churchgoers, 67 percent of Catholics, 40 percent of nonCatholics; — homosexual relations: 54 percent of all Catholics, 45 percent of all non-Catholics; among

regular churchgoers, 44 percent of Catholics, 21 percent of nonCatholics; — abortion: 40 percent of all Catholics, 41 percent of all non-Catholics; among regular churchgoers, 24 percent of Catholics, 19 percent of nonCatholics; — capital punishment: 61 percent of all Catholics, 68 percent of all non-Catholics; among regular churchgoers, 52 percent of Catholics, 69 percent of nonCatholics.

The Gallup results mirror a poll taken last fall by the Knights of Columbus in that churchgoing Catholics tended to favor the Church’s teaching on moral issues more than nonpracticing Catholics, although the two polls did not always cover the same issues.

The results for churchgoing Catholics, described as going to church every week or nearly every week, are “much more in line with the Church’s teachings than are the views of non-practicing Catholics,” said a statement by Gallup announcing the results.

“However, even among committed Catholics, a slim majority seem to be at odds with the Church’s positions on premarital sex, embryonic stem-cell research, divorce and the death penalty,” it said.

A statement from Gallup noted that “the stance of the Catholic Church on moral issues” had been in the spotlight recently with the announcement that President Barack Obama would be the commencement speaker this year at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

April 10, 2009

The Church in the U.S.

Maryland governor to sign bill on death penalty restrictions B y G eorge P. M atysek J r .

C atholic N ews S ervice

BALTIMORE — It’s not the full repeal she had lobbied for, but Mary Ellen Russell hailed the House of Delegates for passing significant restrictions on the death penalty in Maryland.

“We’re really very pleased with the outcome of the vote,” said Russell, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, the lobbying arm of the state’s Catholic bishops.

“This measure is a significant step forward in ensuring that innocent lives will not be taken through the death penalty and in ensuring that capital punishment will be narrowed in scope,” she told The Catholic Review, newspaper of the Baltimore Archdiocese.

The House of Delegates voted 87-52 to pass the measure; the Senate had previously approved it by a 33-12 vote. Gov. Martin J. O’Malley announced in a March 26 statement that he will sign the restrictions into law in the coming weeks.

With the support of the Catholic Church, O’Malley had introduced a bill abolishing the death penalty in Maryland, but the measure was significantly amended in the Senate to restrict but not eliminate capital punishment.

The newly-approved restrictions will allow the death penalty in first-degree murder cases only when defendants are linked to the crime through DNA or biological evidence, videotaped evidence or a videotaped confession. It is considered one of the toughest sets of limitations on capital punishment in the nation.

During a recent House of Delegates Judiciary Committee hearing in Annapolis, Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien testified in favor of full repeal, which was initially sought by O’Malley but failed. But the archbishop also said that in the absence of a repeal he supported the restrictions on the death penalty lawmakers proposed.

“It’s encouraging to see that I do think the message of the Church on the value of every life, including that of a convicted criminal, is hopefully influencing the public and many of the legislators,” said Russell, who pledged that the Catholic Church will continue pushing for repeal.

“We’re clearly making in-

roads,” she said. “The death penalty is not necessary to protect society when we have sentences of life without parole.”

Jane Henderson, executive director of Maryland Citizens Against State Executions, noted that the passage of the Senate bill “marks the first time the General Assembly has taken corrective action on the death penalty in more than a decade.”

It gives Maryland the highest standard of evidence for seeking death of any state, she said, but it does not “fix” problems with the application of the death penalty in Maryland.

“The legislation passed today does not address racial and judicial disparities in how the death penalty is applied, the excessive cost required to bring death penalty cases, and the heavy toll capital punishment cases take on the families of murder victims,” Henderson said.

The only way to solve those “plaguing problems,” she said, “is to end the death penalty here once and for all, following such actions in New Jersey and in New Mexico.”

New Jersey abolished the death penalty in 2007. This year New Mexico repealed the death penalty March 18, after Gov. Bill Richardson had a change of heart about his long support for capital punishment and signed a bill to eliminate it into law.

A total of 15 states do not have the death penalty.

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Bishop George W. Coleman celebrates Easter Mass on WLNE Channel 6, Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

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The Anchor Our power, wisdom and glory

For the first several years of his preaching of the Gospel, St. Paul for the most part ducked the subject of the cross. With Jews, he preached on how Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Messianic prophecies and the apex of salvation history (Acts 13); with the Gentiles, he sought to illustrate, among other approaches, how Jesus was the fulfillment of their search for God (Acts 17). His preaching bore little fruit, however, because there was an “elephant in the living room” left unaddressed, a subject that seemed to invalidate everything else he was saying about Jesus: the crucifixion.

St. Paul knew that Jesus’ death on the cross was a “scandal” to his fellow Jews. Accustomed to look for miraculous signs as a confirmation that someone comes from God, Jews saw in the cross only an ineradicable failure. They believed that when the Messiah finally came he would reestablish the reign of his ancestor David and kick out all foreign powers; Jesus, on the other hand, was killed by those very powers in the most humiliating way conceivable. The cross was nothing but a sign of weakness totally inconsistent with powerful signs a Messiah sent by God was expected to work.

St. Paul, moreover, knew that for the Gentiles, the crucifixion was utter foolishness. For them it was hard enough to believe that God would become man; it was altogether incomprehensible that God could or would be crucified. Anyone who believed that the crucified Jesus was God was, to them, a bigger fool even than the one they deemed the executed pseudo-Messiah.

So it is somewhat understandable that early in his preaching St. Paul didn’t emphasize the cross. After a dramatic failure in Athens, however, he resolved from that point forward to “preach” and “know nothing … except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Against the Jews’ claims of scandalous weakness, he tried to show how Jesus manifests God’s “power”; in response to Greek claims of the idiocy of the crucifixion, he stressed how Jesus on the cross demonstrates God’s “wisdom” (1 Cor 1:18-25; 2:1-5).

The cross shows God’s power because it shows the strength of his forebearing love. It would have been easy for Jesus to come down from the cross and annihilate those who opposed and mocked him. He could have demonstrated to everyone his brute force as God. If Vince McMahon were God, that might have been the way it played out. Jesus, rather, like a parent who doesn’t retaliate with superior physical force against an infant who strikes him, resists on account of his superior moral strength. Through his apparent weakness, he paradoxically shows the full power of total trust in God the Father. On the cross, Christ also shows the supreme wisdom by revealing the highest morality, that of loving to the end of one’s capacities. “The crucified one is wisdom,” Pope Benedict said in a catechesis on St. Paul last fall, “for he truly shows who God is, that is, a force of love that went even as far as the cross to save men and women.”

It was when St. Paul started to preach the full Gospel of God’s power and wisdom manifested paradoxically on the cross that he started to reap the harvest of apostolic fruit. St. Paul, however, didn’t merely preach the Gospel of Christ crucified with his words. He lived it and preached it with his own bodily wounds. The Cross of Christ was not a theological concept for him but a way of life. As he recounts for us, he was imprisoned seven times; scourged five times; three times beaten with rods; stoned and left for dead; shipwrecked three times; in constant danger from assassins, false brothers, and robbers; and he likely suffered most of his adult life with an illness, probably malaria, that made him want to pull out his eyes (2 Cor 11:21-31; Gal 4:15). It was because of all of these sufferings voluntarily borne that he was able to say to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:19-20). Through all these hardships, Paul learned how to die to himself so that Christ was able to live within him.

Rather than seeing the cross as a foolish shame and a scandalous weakness, he exclaimed, “Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Gal 6:14).

These truths that St. Paul learned, taught and lived, Pope Benedict says, are “paradigmatic for all of us.”

Like at the time of the Apostle, many still treat the cross — Jesus’ and ours — as scandalous and foolish. In a world that seeks to maximize pleasure and minimize pain, suffering makes little sense, and hence in various places people with terminal illnesses are “put out of their misery,” women who do not want to be pregnant are allowed to kill their babies, people struggling through marital difficulties can legally and easily abandon their commitments, human beings are manufactured and slaughtered to obtain cells to relieve those who are older, richer and stronger, those struggling with same-sex attractions are encouraged to abandon chastity in exchange for a counterfeit expression of love, and so many have recourse to drugs, sex without permanent and total commitment, and other escapes.

When the Church raises her voice against such practices, her message is treated as unenlightened and contemptible — as foolish and scandalous.

For this reason, many Christians, like St. Paul did initially, fail to live up to their vocation to announce and incarnate the power and wisdom of Christ crucified. This omission is surely one of the reasons behind the deeply disturbing data from the recent Gallup survey that we print on page four of this edition. Since in many places priests and faithful haven’t preached and lived according to Jesus’ standard of cruciform love, huge percentages of Catholics, including those who attend Mass each Sunday, have conformed their minds to our hedonistic age rather than to the teaching of Christ and the Church he founded.

Today, on Good Friday, as Jesus is nailed to the pulpit of the cross and proclaims with arms wide open the full power of his redeeming love, the Church in our country has a chance to choose to follow Christ crucified or to run away. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus three times begged his Father to take the cup of suffering, the full measure of the cross, away from him. Three times, however, he added, “but not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). He was perfected through what he obediently suffered and became for us the source of salvation (Phil 2:8; Heb 5:8). Similarly for us to follow Jesus on that path of spiritual perfection toward heaven, we need to be obedient to God by submitting to Christ and to his action in founding the Church to teach definitively in his name. This is one of the principal ways by which we deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Jesus (Mt 16:24). This is one of the chief paths by which we are crucified to the world and the world to us. This is one of the essential means by which we learn to live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us individually and gave himself up for each us.

The Year of St. Paul, presently underway, is a grace-filled opportunity for us to rediscover the full practical power and wisdom of Christ on the cross, which the whole Church celebrates today and St. Paul made the fundamental core of his teaching. It is also a blessed occasion for us to make his teaching and experience of the cross our own and take it out to a world, much like the one St. Paul encountered, that once again desperately needs to hear the whole Gospel.

O

April 10, 2009

Co-redeemers

ne of the most moving moments of from the experience of Simon of Cyrene.

Pope Benedict’s recent trip to Africa We know relatively little about Simon; in was when he stopped at the Cardinal Léger fact, the passion account gives us only one Center in Yaounde, Cameroon on March 19. sentence: “And they compelled a passer-by, SiThe center, founded in 1972 by the retired mon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the archbishop of Montreal, specializes in caring country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to for young people suffering from debilitating carry his cross” (Mk 15:21). From that phrase, handicaps and traumas. however, we learn several things: first that he It is painful to see a child suffering. It is was almost certainly Jewish, since Simon is a even more heartbreaking to see a whole center Jewish name; second, that he was from Cyrene, of children in anguish. Such places often bring a Greek colony with a heavy concentration of to the surface the question of evil and get peo- Jews in present day Libya; third, that he probple to question whether God exists or whether, ably had come to Jerusalem for the feast of the if he exists, he is good. Many cannot see any Passover, which was the life-wish of every Jew sense to the suffering of children in the divine living abroad; and lastly, that his sons Alexplan. That’s one of the reasons why so many ander and Rufus were well-known among the children diagnosed with handicaps or illnesses Christian recipients of Mark’s Gospel, which in the womb are tragically aborted. is almost certainly a testimony that they were When Benedict came to the center, howev- Christians, likely being brought to the faith by er, he explained to the children — and through their father’s encounter with the Lord. them, to all of us — how important and preSt. Mark tells us he was “compelled” to carcious they are to the mission of the Church. ry the cross by the Roman soldiers. It was not He unveiled for them their vocation as key co- something he or anyone would have ever signed workers of Christ in the salvation of the human up for. Crucifixion was the most ignominious race. He did so by reminding them that they death imaginable. People used to mock those are spiritual descendents of one of the most cel- processing to their execution, to spit on them ebrated figures and hurl things of early African at them. Simon Christianity, a likely knew that person who is as he would be a guide for all carrying Jesus’ Catholics this cross through Good Friday. the crowded “An Afristreets of JeruBy Father can, Simon of salem, many Roger J. Landry Cyrene,” the would likely pope said, “was think he was the given the task of despised crimihelping Jesus to carry his cross on the way to nal and treat him as one.

Golgotha. This man, albeit through no choice It’s often that way with all of us. None of us of his own, came to the aid of the Man of Sor- really wants to carry a cross, which is a brutal rows when he had been abandoned by all his instrument of suffering and death. Like Simon, followers and handed over to blind violence. we may need to be compelled to do it at the History tells us, then, that an African, a son beginning. But it’s through our encounter with of your continent, took part, at the price of his Christ on the cross that we come to an ever own suffering, in the infinite suffering of the deeper union with him and share in his redeemone who ransomed all men, including his ex- ing work. ecutioners. Simon of Cyrene could not have What was it about carrying the cross of a known that it was his Savior who stood there half-dead convict that brought Simon to converbefore him. He was ‘drafted in’ to assist him sion and to the faith? It’s impossible, of course, (cf. Mk 15:21); he was constrained, forced to to know precisely how grace worked in his soul. do so. It is hard to accept to carry someone But I’ve always imagined that it was along the else’s cross. Only after the resurrection could way to Calvary that Simon had an intimation he have understood what he had done. that he wasn’t shamefully carrying a cross that “Brothers and sisters, it is the same for each Jesus deserved, but that Jesus had been carrying of us: in the depths of our anguish, of our own all along the cross Simon deserved. It wasn’t he rebellion, Christ offers us his loving presence who was doing the favor for Jesus but the other even if we find it hard to understand that he is way around: Jesus was preparing to die for Siat our side. Only the Lord’s final victory will mon on the cross Simon was now bearing. reveal for us the definitive meaning of our triIt was in this way that Jesus unleashed a als. Can it not be said that every African is in cycle of compassion. Simon realized that Jesome sense a member of the family of Simon sus was carrying the cross for him and he conof Cyrene? Every African who suffers, indeed verted from being an unwilling participant to every person who suffers, helps Christ to car- a co-redeemer and Good Samaritan. His eyes ry his cross and climbs with him the path to were opened to the secret means by which we Golgotha in order one day to rise again with complete what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings him. When we see the infamy to which Jesus for the sake of the Church (Col 1:24). was subjected, when we contemplate his face This is the conversion that is meant to hapon the cross, when we recognize his appalling pen in each of us. Taking up the cross is not an suffering, we can glimpse, through faith, the optional part of the Christian life. The cross radiant face of the risen Lord who tells us that — as well as the suffering and death associsuffering and sickness will not have the last ated with it — is, from one perspective, a just word in our human lives. I pray, dear brothers means of atonement for our sins. But when we and sisters, that you will be able to recognize grasp that Jesus came into the world to carry yourselves in ‘Simon of Cyrene.’ I pray, dear our cross for us, our experience of the cross is brothers and sisters who are sick, that many of transformed from a curse that alienates to a gift you will encounter a Simon at your bedside.” that unites us to the cycle of the Lord’s compasTo recognize ourselves in Simon of Cyrene sionate love. and to recognize Simon of Cyrene in others Jesus allows us to carry our cross — some is one of the most important spiritual fruits of of us more than others — for part of the salvific Good Friday. journey so that all of us will have the dignity Today Catholics at the Colosseum, in the of sharing a little in our redemption and the restreets and in churches throughout the world demption of others. will contemplate Simon at the fifth station and This is the way we become members of the with him accompany Jesus along the Way of family of Simon of Cyrene and equipped from the Cross. This journey with Jesus, however, is our own experience of suffering with Christ to meant to continue each day as Jesus bids us to help others live their vocation to bear their sufdeny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily and ferings with him, too, until these sufferings are follow him, saying that unless we do, we can- transformed into glory. not be his disciple. In our task of carrying the Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony’s cross Jesus gives us, we can learn a great deal Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

April 10, 2009

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St. Paul on the Paschal Mystery, part two: The Resurrection

e know of two major “parties” within first century Judaism: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees, who accepted teachings from the oral tradition, believed in the existence of angels, life after death, and the resurrection of the dead.

The Sadducees, who accepted as Scripture only the first five books of the Old Testament and followed them to the letter, did not (cf. Lk 20:22). St. Paul, before becoming a Christian, had been a Pharisee (cf. Phil 3:5). As such, he would have shared the Pharisees’ beliefs about resurrection of the dead.

Belief in the resurrection developed, in part, based on reasoning about God’s eternity and power. Since God is eternal, he can sustain the soul’s existence after death. Since God is all-powerful, he can fulfill his promise made through the prophets to raise us back to life again and give us a home with him forever.

Furthermore, resurrection is different than what we might call “reanimation.” Jesus, as well as the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and even St. Paul reanimated people who had died in their

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The Anchor

resident Obama, on March 9, 2009, signed an important executive order that vastly expanded federal funding for human embryonic stem-cell research and crossed a significant and troubling ethical line. This decision, and the rhetoric during the signing, encouraged scientists and researchers to enter the moral quagmire of taking some human lives in order to benefit others. During his signing speech, in order to support his decision, the president invoked the name of Christopher Reeve and other patients desperate to find cures for their ailments.

Desperation, however, rarely makes for good ethics.

I once heard a true story that brought this point home for me in a dramatic way. The story involved a father and his two young sons. They had a favorite swimming hole out in the countryside which they would visit on hot summer days. The father, however, had never learned to swim, while the boys had learned when they were younger and could swim moderately well.

Their father would sit on the shore while the boys would swim inside a line of bright red buoys that marked where the shelf on the floor of the swimming hole would

presence (cf. Acts 20:9-12). Those that because of our belief in the who were reanimated would con- Resurrection, we can sacrifice and endure the sufferings of this tinue their previous existence and life with hope. We are not like the die a natural death at a later date. pagans who try to experience all Resurrection, on the other hand, the pleasures and comforts this means inheriting the “fullness of life can afford (cf. 1Cor 15:31). life” — a life without weakness, Only the Resurrection makes this ignorance, grief, sin, sickness, or suffering — a life without end. This is the new life of the resurrection.

Living the In addition, St. Paul Pauline Year believed that when the resurrection occurs, the

By Father just and the unjust will be separated. “For, we must Karl C. Bissinger all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, type of behavior reasonable.

Of course, one of the central according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil” (2Cor doctrines of St. Paul’s Gospel (and of the Christian faith) is the 5:10). The just will rise to life, the Resurrection of Christ. When unjust to a kind of second death, we focus mainly on this teachi.e., to condemnation. ing, however, we must remember St. Paul lays out a summary of that the Apostle never separates his teaching on the resurrection, the two moments of the Paschal both of Christ and of the dead, in the First Letter to the Corinthians, Mystery — the dying and the rising of Jesus. He never conChapter 15. (It’s worth readsiders our Risen Lord without ing.) In it he explains the Gospel recalling his suffering and death, teaching of Jesus’ Resurrection, nor the resurrection without the the implications of the resurrection on our faith, and the nature of crucifixion. We should not either.

Speaking hypothetically, if Paul the resurrected body. He argues

were to paint a portrait or sculpt a statue of Christ appearing to his disciples after the Resurrection, he would make sure that his hands, his feet, and his side would still show — and remind us of — the marks of his Passion.

So, what of the Paschal Mystery? The Resurrection of Jesus, along with his death on the Cross, does not remain just part of history. According to St. Paul, it is the central event of salvation: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins” (1Cor 15:17). “Our Lord was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification” (Rom 4:25).

St. Paul explains how we participate in the Paschal Mystery by receiving the sacraments, especially baptism. “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in

The Obama stem cell darkness

drop off steeply. Each year, As he slipped into unconthe father would tell his sons sciousness, the boys apnot to cross that line, because proached him and grabbed if they did, he would not be him as best they could and able to swim out and rescue dragged him back to shore, them. Each year they would where he sputtered and faithfully obey. This particurevived and finally coughed lar year, however, they deout the water he had taken cided to challenge their dad’s in. Later, the boys asked him authority and venture beyond why he shouted at them to the buoys. stay away. He said he was As they swam beyond the line, their father saw them and called out to them to return, but they feigned they couldn’t hear him

By Father Tad and continued to swim out even further. Their Pacholczyk dad got nervous, and began to walk out into the water, as it got deeper afraid if he put his hand on and deeper, and suddenly he them, he would drag them moved into the drop-off secunder the water with him. He tion and began sinking. knew that a desperate person From a distance, the boys would reach for almost anyspotted him flailing around in thing nearby in order to save the water, gasping for breath, himself, maybe even his own trying to keep his head above children, and he didn’t want water, and slapping the water to do that. with his hands. They suddenly We must be similarly conrealized he was drowning, and cerned in our society when swam towards him. As they scientists and desperate pagot near him, he yelled at tients are tempted to put their them not to come any closer. hand onto our embryonic chilHe cried out, “Get away! dren in a bid to alleviate sufDon’t touch me!” In fear, they fering or even to save themkept their distance until he selves. Sadly, the president’s stopped struggling in the wastem cell decision encourages ter, and began to sink beneath this kind of unethical behavthe surface, with gurgling and ior by an emotional appeal bubbling. to patient desperation. The

Making Sense Out of Bioethics

president’s ethical mistake is further compounded by the fact that remarkable and powerful scientific alternatives exist, such as cellular reprogramming on the one hand, or the use of adult/umbilical cord stem cells on the other, neither of which requires ever laying a hand on a human embryo.

His stem cell decision also manifests a troubling shift towards a more widespread and systemic form of oppression within our society. The president is offering Americans the prospect of using the powers of science to oppress, or more accurately, to suppress the youngest members of the human family to serve the interests of older and more wealthy members.

He is offering Americans the prospect of reducing fellow human beings to cogs and commodities in the assembly line of the medico-business industrial complex.

Many Americans, however, seem only vaguely aware of

the resurrection” (Rom 6:4-5).

What the Apostle says here about baptism, applies to the Eucharist as well. In a sense, every sacrament is a means of participating in the same Paschal Mystery of the death and Resurrection of Christ.

Besides our Lord’s dying and rising, the Paschal Mystery also includes the gift of the Holy Spirit.

St. Paul assures us that we will experience resurrection through the agency of the Spirit. “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you” (Rom 8:11). Through the Spirit, our lives are already transformed.

Therefore, we express the power of the risen Christ by living in keeping with the Gospel. The Resurrection of Christ guarantees the resurrection of those who believe in him.

His crucified and risen body gives evidence in glorified flesh that his followers will rise again just as he did. Happy Easter.

Father Bissinger is vocation director of the Diocese of Fall River and secretary to Bishop George W. Coleman.

what has transpired in the president’s decision. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas once commented on the way that oppression can subtly arise in our midst: “As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression.

In both instances, there’s a twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.”

Some would suggest that perhaps the darkness is already upon us. But a few moments of twilight may still remain, in which Americans can turn back the moral darkness that threatens our society and our future.

Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org

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hen the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him” (Mk 16:1). These women witnessed Jesus condemned to death, mocked and scourged, and die a horrible death on a cross.

With these events still fresh in their minds, they made their way to the tomb, fully expecting to find a corpse to anoint according to Jewish custom.

Imagine their amazement, confusion, and excitement when they saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance of the tomb. On entering it, they found not a corpse but a young man, very much alive, who announced to them that the One they were seeking had been raised from the dead.

On three occasions, Jesus told his disciples that he had to suffer, die, and rise on the third day.

The two Marys and Salome had

The Anchor

April 10, 2009

‘Peace be with you’

seen the first prediction come to believed. pass, but were reluctant to believe Though some Catholics come the second, that Jesus would be to Mass on Easter mostly out of a raised from the dead. Despite sense of obligation, they are there witnessing our Lord’s miracles just the same, and I pray they and cures, and even his raising come with an open heart, ready others from the dead — most to be touched by God’s grace. spectacularly Lazarus who had Some come filled with gratitude been dead for four days — they could scarcely comprehend how Jesus Homily of the Week could be raised.

Easter Although none of the Sunday Evangelists record the actual event of the ResurBy Father rection, they all report the Timothy P. Driscoll empty tomb on that first Easter Sunday morning.

“You seek Jesus of Nazareth,” for health and love and life itself. declares the messenger garbed Others come with hearts laden in white; “He has been raised; with sorrow. Many feel alone behe is not here” (Mk 16:6). He cause of divorce and death. More orders the women to tell the than a few grieve for children on other disciples that Jesus would self-destructive paths. Struggles meet them in Galilee. Overcomwith alcohol or drugs or addicing their initial reluctance to tions; the hardship of living with believe the women, the disciples addicts. The onset of old age, encountered the risen Christ and declining health, the specter of

approaching death. Oh, the things we bring to church on the most joyous day of the Christian year.

Even so, not 10 minutes from entering the church, I will enjoin you to “Lift up your hearts!” The priest says that at every Mass, because with Jesus we have confronted death, and we know with the certitude of faith that with the Lord there is resurrection for us too, beyond our sorrows, beyond this darkness.

Here, in this sacred place, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and in the company of our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ — here is the peace we all yearn for: everlasting love and life, given to us in what appears to be mere bread and wine: Christ, crucified and risen — pure gift, questions answered, wounds healed, loneliness vanished, and death (of every sort) conquered.

When we renew our baptismal promises, as we do at Easter Mass, we not only renounce sin and the devil but also profess our faith in Christ’s victory over the powers of sin, death, and hell.

Our common baptism — our immersion into the mystery of Christ’s death and Resurrection — charges us with the same mission given to those faithful women on that first Easter Sunday: Go, bring the good news of the Resurrection to friends and relatives, coworkers and neighbors. Live as though you truly believe Christ is risen and lives in you by the gift of faith and the outpouring of his Holy Spirit.

Amidst our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, Christ living in his Church, Christ living in you and me, says to each of us, “Do not be afraid. It is I. Peace be with you.”

Father Driscoll is pastor of Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Apr. 11, Holy Saturday Night: The Easter Vigil, (1) Gn 1:1-2:2 or 1:1,26-31a; Ps 104:1-2a,5-6,10,12-14,24,35c or Ps 33:4-7,1213,20,22; (2) Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18; Ps 16:5,8-11; (3) Ex14:15:1; (Ps) Ex 15:1-6,17-18; (4) Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-12a,13b; (5) Is 55:1-11; (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4abcd,5-6; (6) Bar 3:9-15,32-4:4; Ps 19:8-11; (7) Ez 36:16-17a,18-24; Ps 42:3,5bcd; 43:3-4; or when baptism is celebrated, (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4bcd,5-6; or Ps 51:1215,18-19; (8) Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1-2,16ab-17, 22-23; (9) Mk 16:1-7. Sun. Apr. 12, Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord, Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118:1-2,16ab17, 22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9 or 41; Mk 16:1-7 or, at an afternoon or evening Mass, 46: Lk 24:13-35. Mon. Apr. 13, Acts 2:14,22-23; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-11; Mt 28:8-15. Tues. Apr. 14, Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5,18-29,22; Jn 20:11-18. Wed. Apr. 15, Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4,6-9; Lk 24:13-35. Thu. Apr. 16, Act 3:11-26; Ps 8:2a, 5-9; Lk 24:35-48. Fri. Apr. 17, Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2,4,22-27a; Jn 21:1-14.

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our distinguished American theologians have died since the beginning of Advent: Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Father Richard John Neuhaus, Msgr. William B. Smith, and Father Francis Canavan, S.J. Each of these men enriched Church and country with a noble idea of freedom. That idea has much to do with the events of salvation history we recall at this sacred season.

After receiving his vocation from God, Moses tried to tell the Israelites the good news of their impending liberation:

Freed to be images of God

they would be freed from the spirit and their cruel bondage” power of the Egyptians and (Exodus 6:9). After centuries brought into the land that of slavery, Israel could not God had given to Abraham, imagine itself free. Israel had Isaac, Jacob, and their offlost the image of God within spring. It sounds like a very good deal: Israel comes into the possession of its ancestral land; Israel is brought into communion with God, who is truly the

By George Weigel Lord.

But Israel isn’t buying: “Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel; itself. but they did not listen to MoAs Father Dominique ses, because of their broken Barthelemy, O.P., puts it in a wonderful book, “God and His Image” (Ignatius Press), mankind after the Fall had “become wild; (man) flies in terror toward death, in terror because he can no longer bear the gaze of the Father, whose love he has in fact disowned and flouted.” Israel, trapped in the bondage of Egypt, had forgotten the loving gaze of the Father who had called Abraham and spared Isaac.

So Israel would have to be tamed anew; Israel could only recover the truth about its freedom by casting off the bad habits of slavery.

“Jacob’s descendants in Egypt are a people in winter,” Father Barthelemy writes,

The Catholic Difference

“a people ready to die, who see death staring them in the face. God will be able to tame a people in conditions like these. It is not immediately that he will be able to take them by the hand on Sinai. He must begin by saving them from death in a wholly unexpected manner — hence the exodus from Egypt. He will not expect this people to start calling him God, a name that evokes terrifying almighty power, immediately.

He asks them to call him ... Yahweh, which for Israel means ‘Savior.’

“And Israel will grasp the hand of this Savior as their guide, since it is he who has saved them from death. Afterward, they will allow this saving hand to fashion them anew. It is very necessary that God should fashion man once more in his own divine image. For man was made in the image of God. But this same man has fled ... and has fashioned in himself a caricature of God’s image. God cannot therefore make himself recognized by man unless he first fashions in him (once again) the true image of God.” This is God’s fatherhood,

reaching out to refashion us in true freedom: which, as St. Paul writes, is the freedom of the children of God — the freedom to be the images of God that we were created to be, and thus the freedom to bring into the world the healing power of God’s fatherly love. God begins the definitive work of refashioning his image in us in the Exodus.

He completes that work in raising Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, from the dead, so that Jesus the Christ might be the first of many brothers — brothers who live true freedom in the communion of the Church, which is the Son’s mystical body, extended in time and space.

This is the truth about freedom that Cardinal Dulles, Father Neuhaus, Msgr. Smith, and Father Canavan tried to teach us: that true freedom consists in looking up, not looking down — in casting off our broken spirit and living according to the image of God within us.

That is the truth of both Exodus and Easter. We learn it crossing the Red Seas of our own lifejourneys, where we meet the Risen Lord.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Wet and wild

ham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Monday 30 March 2009 — on the shores of federally desig- Goodwin? Now, don’t breathe a word of this to anyone, but nated Scenic Three Mile River there’s talk that actor Liam here was something going on across the street from the church.

I was curious, but my greyhounds weren’t in Reflections of a the least, so I didn’t Parish Priest walk over to find out. I read all about it in the

By Father Tim next morning’s newspaGoldrick per. Like the mountain coming to Mohammed, Hollywood came to Three Mile Neeson (of “Schindler’s List” fame) wants to play President River. There was a scout from Lincoln and Sally Field is a film-location company in interested in the part of Mary town. Can you believe it? The Todd Lincoln. Father Marbuzz around here is there’s a major new film in the works — cel Bouchard suggests I hire myself out as a movie “extra.” a production about Abraham Mary Fuller suggests I set Lincoln. Could this be the the goal even higher. I haven’t film director Steven Spielberg watched a movie since 1989, yearns to make, the one based but this is one I would defion the book “Team of Rivals: nitely want to see.

The Political Genius of Abra-

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The Anchor

April 10, 2009

The Ship’s Log

They say the scout was smitten by the section of the river behind the old factories — the site that was once the location of the textile manufacturer, Mount Hope Finishing Company, and then the motherhouse of Raytheon. A huge section of the complex was recently razed and is now nothing but a pile of rubble. One reporter described the area as being “unadorned.” That would be an understatement. It looks like a bomb hit it. The scout was searching for a place with no indications we are living in the 21st century. He found it right here in this parish.

What scene is Tinseltown interested in filming on Three Mile River? That would be President Lincoln landing on the banks of the James River in

Square one is one small square

call to be “wellsprings of life.” ope Benedict’s recent Recalling the magnificent truth trip to Africa drew enorrelated in Mulieris Dignitatem mous criticism, especially for that “woman is the one in his faithful insistence that the whom the order of love in the Church’s teaching on sexuality created world of persons takes was Good News to a continent first root,” he charged them to crippled by HIV-AIDS. While use their love to restore these disease has ravaged much of broken communities. This Africa, one cannot neglect to preeminence in the order of acknowledge that that burden love gives women precedence is complicated by decades of in the task of rebuilding Africa civil wars — which kill the — despite being marginalized, men, corrupt the young, and weaker, and without temporal ravage families everywhere.

No society can prosper without strong families.

There are so many “broken” parts in this tragedy that hope appears to be in short

By Genevieve Kineke supply. Only with the eyes of faith could one attack the problem authority. Love has a power of with genuine confidence that healing is possible, and yet that its own.

The dire situation is simiis how the Church sees it. She lar to that of New York City acts according to the mana quarter century ago, when date of the Bridegroom, who vandalism, crime, and appallcommissioned her to go forth ing decay caused tremendous and bind up the wounds in his demoralization in its populaname. tion. It is a simple fact that This is how the Holy Father when humans live in squalor, began, addressing diverse they forget their dignity and segments of the populaact like animals. The remarktions, reminding each of their able restoration began when dignity and mission to rebuild city workers were deployed a culture in which the human to repair broken windows in person can thrive. His words a timely manner and to keep to women, in particular, were up with the trash — both on words of deep affection and the streets and in the subway. trust — trust that the women’s Cleaning the city became a priresponse would be adequate to ority — and remarkably, crime the challenge and sufficient for rates fell and civic confidence the necessary restoration. returned. A renaissance was Referencing the importance born. of Our Lady’s intercession at To turn to the tragedy in the wedding feast of Cana, he Africa, the statistics appear reminded all women of their

The Feminine Genius

overwhelming, but statistics are people. Each of those persons has the ability to stop the trajectory of pain and begin to heal. A large proportion, of course, are women who — although suffering, without resources and often betrayed — can find the strength to love and fix the “broken windows” around them.

How can this renaissance take place? It begins with forgiveness, and then is carried forward by the tiniest acts of love: attentiveness to the needs of those around them, receptivity to the moments in which they are called to give of themselves, and generous application to the details through which the fabric of the family can be mended. Only when families heal will the wider culture heal.

They must count on our prayers and on the witness of centuries, for as Benedict noted, “history records almost exclusively the accomplishments of men, when in fact much of it is due to the determined, unrelenting and charitable action of women.” They don’t have to rebuild an entire city — now or ever, but each woman is asked simply to find a piece of glass, apply a little putty and keep it clean. Then God’s light can shine through and the miracles will begin.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books). She can be found online at www. feminine-genius.com.

1865 and entering the decimated Confederate capital, the City of Richmond, Va., two days after the retreating troops had abandoned it in smoldering ruins. I do see the similarity. Shooting is anticipated to commence this spring, once the leaves fill out. The camouflage will no doubt help. The Hollywood scout observed that the power lines could be removed digitally.

Why, just last year, another famous director, Martin Scorsese, used a factory site up the street in Taunton for a film called “Shutter Island,” scheduled to be released this October. He scoured the nation for a location that resembled a Nazi concentration camp. He found it in the Whittenton Mills industrial complex.

Actor Bruce Willis was also in the neighborhood last year for the filming of a movie called “The Surrogates.”

The filming took place on the grounds of the largelyabandoned Paul Dever State School. Our neighborhood is a big-budget film magnet. Who would have thought?

But wait, there’s more. I’m sure a lot of paperwork comes across President Barack Obama’s desk in the oval office these days, what with the economy the way it is and all, but there was one document in the stack that had significant local ramifications. Yes, dear readers, right up there with issues of worldwide importance, was a proclamation about Three Mile River awaiting the president’s signature. Last July, this came up before the U.S. House of Representatives.

Some Representative from Utah objected, showing photos of graffiti-defaced infrastructures along the river. Spoilsport. The bill passed anyway.

In January, the bill also passed the U.S. Senate. The President of the United States signed it into federal law on March 30.

With that one last step, Three Mile River (which is actually 11.7 miles long) became part of a 40-mile stretch of the Taunton River watershed designated as “wild and scenic” and placed under the oversight of the National Park Service.

Congressman Barney Frank said he was pleased this “vital natural and recreational” resource was being recognized. Senator Edward Kennedy called the river “an extraordinary part of our Commonwealth’s heritage and environment.” As I sat on the banks of Three Mile River, I got to thinking I must be missing something. I did some research.

I learned that our watershed inputs drinking water for miles around. Three Mile River connects to streams, brooks, wetlands, and floodplain and riverbank forests. More than 154 species of birds flock to the river. It supports 29 species of native fish. There are foxes, coyotes, and deer. I had no idea, although I did see a flock of turkeys once.

On Holy Thursday, my diocesan ordination classmates and I will have our 37th annual luncheon. We will trade notes on what’s been happening in our lives. I can’t wait to tell them about my exciting life in The Dightons. They probably won’t believe me.

Will Hollywood invade Three Mile River? Will Tina Turner record a new song entitled “Rolling, Rolling, Rolling on Three Mile River”? Dighton rocks, whether my classmates believe it or not.

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

100 SABRA STREET . CRANSTON, R.I. . 401-781-9693

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By Michael Pare Anchor Correspondent

The Anchor

April 10, 2009

Taunton couple finds joy in going back to school

TAUNTON — It is a simple gesture, really. But it speaks to unselfishness, to doing for others.

There is a store in Bob Donnelly’s neighborhood, Weir Fruit Store on Weir Street. The folks who run the place are real nice, said Bob. So one day he asked if they had any extra cigar boxes they weren’t using. The owner eagerly handed some over. Bob and wife, Natalie, knew just what they wanted to do with them.

You see, Bob and Natalie — 75 and 74 respectively — spend a lot of time in school. Specifically, Our Lady of Lourdes School, in Taunton. So that’s where Bob and Natalie took the ever-useful cigar boxes. They knew Mercy Sister Mary Margretta Sol, who was the elementary school’s principal for some 35 years and now remains an integral part of all that goes on there, would be sure to find something to do with them.

“We knew that she could use them for something,” said Bob. And she has. Whether it is for art projects or organizing supplies, the simple gesture goes a long way.

Now, Bob stops at Weir Fruit every so often, where he reloads on cigar boxes and dutifully brings them to Our Lady of Lourdes School.

Dr. Lincoln A. DeMoura, who has been principal at Our Lady of Lourdes since last July, has seen Bob and Natalie with the cigar boxes. In fact, he sees them all the

time, offering their help in what- makes sense. After all, the statement and justice, to help us realize the aim reads in part: “Each segment of our of Christian education, which is to ever needs doing at the school.

“They came in just the other school community: staff, students teach doctrine, build community day with more cigar boxes,” said and parents, strive to promote peace and serve others.”

DeMoura. “They are always Isn’t that service to othpopping in to help. It could ers just what the children be helping us with envelopes of Our Lady of Lourdes in the office or decoratsee when the Donnellys ing baskets. When we have and other volunteers visit? fund-raisers, they might be So why are they so here half a day, every day of committed to Our Lady of the week.”

Lourdes? It’s simple, really.

In Bob and Natalie DonThey enjoy helping. They nelly, DeMoura sees somehad a granddaughter attend thing deeper than simple the school many years ago. volunteerism. He sees a livSo the Donnellys have aling lesson of faith for his ways felt that connection. students to witness. It’s a les“We enjoy helping with son that just might resonate the yard sales and the penny deeper than anything they sales,” said Bob. “We try to can read in a textbook. help wherever we can.”

“Imagine what they might As is typical of Bob be thinking: ‘Look at that and Natalie Donnelly, they older couple. They look like don’t see what they do as my grandparents. They keep anything particularly specoming here again and again. cial.

They are always together.

“There are a lot of other They are always smiling. people who help out,” said They seem so happy.’

Bob. “They put their Catho- ANCHOR PERSONS OF THE WEEK — NataBut what they do is lic faith into action through lie and Bob Donnelly. special. That’s the point. their service,” said DeMoura. “They are just wonderful people. They are so committed to our school.”

So often, an organization’s Mission Statement is seen as lip service, a boiler plate message that has to exist — to exist. What does it ever mean?

But you hear about the Donnellys and their commitment to Our Lady of Lourdes and you read the school’s Mission Statement and it all

DeMoura points out that at small schools like Our Lady of Lourdes, fostering parental involvement and volunteerism is critically important. Simply put, the Donnellys, and others like them, are important resources.

For Natalie Donnelly, volunteering at Our Lady of Lourdes School feels right. She is Taunton-born and was a lifelong parishioner at the former Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. It is where Natalie received her sacraments.

“I enjoy it an awful lot,” Natalie said of her regular visits to the school. “We both get a lot of joy out of it. The kids are so happy that you are there helping out.”

And Natalie sees the kids and the school giving her something back. They are good Christians, she said, and being with them only reinforces her faith.

So maybe there is a lesson in the little things. Lessons come in all shapes and sizes. Some may even come in cigar boxes.

To nominate a Person of the Week, send an email to FatherRogerLandry@AnchorNews.org.

April 10, 2009

WORDS OF THANKS — Organizer Ron Larose speaks to a group of faithful Catholics from throughout the Fall River Diocese who attended the closing ceremony for the “40 Days for Life” campaign outside the Four Women Abortion Clinic in Attleboro on Palm Sunday. The closing ceremony, which included prayers and comments from Larose and co-organizer Steve Marcotte, drew a sizeable number of supporters — many of whom had kept vigil at the same location during 40 days of Lent. (Photos by Kenneth J. Souza)

St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet

Wishing You a Happy and Holy Easter

The Anchor

11

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The Anchor

Speakers see upcoming conferences as a boost to faith

B y Christopher H arding S pecial to The Anchor

BOSTON — Central to living our Catholic faith is Sunday worship at our parishes.

But many Catholic leaders recognize the importance of retreats and other gatherings to help people renew, rejuvenate

and deepen their faith.

Tuned in to this dynamic are the upcoming Boston Catholic Men’s Conference April 18, and Boston Catholic Women’s Conference April 19, at Boston College’s Conte Forum.

Both events boast film and TV personalities among the pre-

30 Budlong Road, Cranston, R.I. • 401-942-4800

senters. But as important, each also features speakers who, while not household names, temper worldwide prestige with down-home credibility.

Keynoter Mary Healy, who received her doctorate in biblical theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, celebrates these gatherings, “Conferences like this can be a tremendous impetus to spiritual growth. Spending a day with thousands of other women who have struggles like yours but share your Catholic faith can be an incredible boost to faith!”

Healy, who has written works on John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” and co-edited three books on biblical interpretation, previews the kind of direction she’ll provide: “I want to share how powerful the word of God can be as a way of growing in fellowship with God and with other women.

Catholics are hungry to know the Bible better, and often just need some basic guidance and tools for doing so. The word of God is a powerful weapon against discouragement, fear, hopelessness and depression.”

With a similar fusion of scholarly and personal experience, parenting expert James Stenson will address men’s deepest concerns. “Everywhere I’ve spoken about parenting all over the world, I’ve found a real interest among men to get a ‘job description.’ Many men who want to be a better father just don’t know how. They need to hear that the first apostolate of any father is to give a Christ-like formation to the character and conscience of his children.

“In meetings with fathers and mothers, my emphasis is on partnership, working together for the welfare of the children. When there’s a conference solely for men, there’s more encouragement to be a leader to one’s children, especially as they enter adolescence.”

Author of many parenting advice books including “Father, the Family Protector” which he calls his “magnum opus,” and a parenting Website called ParentLeadership.com, Stenson offers this specific challenge to Saturday conference attendees: “I would encourage men to give very serious consideration to making a really good confession on that day and make a resolution to lead their children to love and revere the sacrament of reconciliation all their lives and to

April 10, 2009 model that with their own example.”

Cardinal Seán O’Malley will celebrate Mass and preach the homily at both conferences with all priests in attendance as concelebrants. Music will once again be provided by recording artist and worship leader Martin Dolan and band.

Throughout the day there will time for confession, adoration, break-out sessions, visits to exhibitors and lunch.

Both conferences will feature Jim Caveziel, the actor whose life was changed radically when he played Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ.” At the women’s event, he and his wife Kerri will discuss defending the faith in hostile environments. Evangelist Johnnette

S

Benkovic, host of EWTN’s “The Abundant Life,” will trace her return to the Catholic faith.

Sister of Charity Nancy Keller will draw from her work with Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

The men’s roster has an athletic feel: Jerry York, the NCAA’s second all-time winningest hockey coach, will outline “Seven Lessons from Sports for Catholic Men of Faith.” Curtis Martin, co-host of EWTN’s sports-commentary-flavored “Crossing the Goal” and founder of FOCUS campus ministry outreach, will rally men with his call “Made for More.”

Complete details, registration and a video preview are available at www.CatholicBoston.org.

This dog wasn’t so hot

tep back hot dog, a cool dog won the pool. So much for my reign as king of hoops in the Jolivet household.

Denise now wears the crown as queen of March Madness with a convincing victory over Emilie and me.

As far as my offspring and I go, the only March Madness about us is Emilie was the March Hare and I the Mad Hatter to Denise’s prognosticating skills.

When the NCAA tournament began, I referenced in a column a

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet George Thorogood song, “Move It On Over,” and warned my bracket mates “Move over cool dogs, a hot dog’s movin’ in.” The irony of the whole situation is that it was a pair of canines that spelled doom for me.

Had the UConn Huskies beaten the pack of underdogs from Michigan State in the Final Four, I would have retained my title. But that wasn’t to be, and this hot dog quickly morphed into a wiener.

And poor Emilie. She was out of the hunt after the Sweet 16.

Yet she consistently insisted she was going to win. I tried many times to explain that she had no teams left in the tourney and she was already behind in points.

That didn’t matter to her. “I’m going to win,” was her mantra.

I admire her confident, albeit distorted attitude.

Just prior to the UConn game, I told Denise that if she did win, I would have to interview her for some quotes. With furrowed brow, she glanced my way,

then turned to Emilie and said, “You’ll help me out with what to say, won’t you?” Without missing a beat on her PC keyboard, Emilie uttered, “Pfffffffff.” What sounded like a bicycle flat tire actually translated into “Yeah, right.” The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.

I figured this added pressure on Denise would help my karma.

It turns out, I should have made that threat to Michigan State.

After the sting of losing my crown abated, I slipped into my reporting mode.

“So Denise, how does it feel to beat your husband and daughter?” I asked.

She modestly answered, “Well you helped me realize I should pick mostly favorites and some upsets.” Not buying the humility thing I kept pressing. “Really, how does it feel to beat your husband and your daughter?” Finally she broke and responded as any good sports fan should. “It feels goooooood.” And she said it with attitude. Ouch. I asked for that one.

Thinking her interview was finally over, she relaxed. “No, no,” I blurted. “One more question.

Do you plan on defending your crown and doing this again next year?” She looked me square in the eyes and I think she sensed the bitterness of my defeat.

“Only if I’m asked,” she said — with attitude.

Oh, she’ll be asked all right.

Because right now, the only rock ’n roll reference I can think of is Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” So if I want to rid myself of this dusty palate, I’ll have to re-morph from wiener to hot dog again in March Madness 2010.

As for Emilie, she still thinks she’s going to win — this year.

Spiritual battle over abortion escalates in Commonwealth

By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — “Our Lord’s passion is re-lived with every abortion, one every 20 seconds in our country,” Father Frank Pavone says in his Priests for Life meditations on the Stations of the Cross.

“Many watched the Lord suffer. Simon the Cyrenian helped alleviate that suffering,” he continues. “Many lament abortion.

Some actually get involved to help to stop it.”

Many Pro-Lifers mark Good Friday by praying the Stations of the Cross outside abortion clinics and within churches in reparation for the 50 million innocent lives lost to abortion in the U.S. during the past 30 years.

“Our purpose is to make reparation to God, whether we participated in abortion actively or by our silence, or whether we just want to comfort His Sacred Heart,” said Colbe Mazzarella, leader of Boston’s Way of the Cross for Life.

Meanwhile, the spiritual battle over this issue within Massachusetts escalates as more legislative and judicial challenges mount.

Pro-Life lawyers are preparing for May 5 arguments in the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston on a ruling that upheld a 35-foot “buffer zone” around abortion clinics. Attorney Philip D. Moran of Salem said he’s “optimistic” the appeal will succeed, but if it fails, “this is a good case to go to the Supreme Court.”

On Beacon Hill, several newly filed bills that would facilitate even more abortions — and one that would legalize doctor-assisted suicide — await legislative hearings.

Among the bills are: H1468 on euthanasia; H1746 on removing parental consent for abortions to minors; H2174 on creating tax-funded “community-based” Planned Parenthood

13

The Anchor

April 10, 2009

clinics; and H1745 on scrapping restrictions that protect women’s health and safety.

The euthanasia proposal, “An act relative to death with dignity,” is nearly identical to the laws passed in Washington and Oregon. “This year, if the ‘culture of death’ crowd has its way, Massachusetts will become the third state to legalize doctorassisted suicide,” notes a release from MassResistance.org, the Waltham-based family activist group.

In February with the help of Rep. Vinnie deMacedo of Plymouth, Massachusetts Citizens for Life held a State House lobbying day in opposition to the bill. Filed by Rep. Louis Kafka of Stoughton, H1468 is now before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.

That committee is also considering H1746, the parental consent bypass, “An act relative to consent and counseling for certain minors.” Filed by Rep. Ellen Story of Amherst, this would expand the categories of people allowed to speak for a minor seeking an abortion. Parental or judicial consent would not be needed if the minor could prove she had been counseled by a psychologist, social worker, teacher, nurse, guidance counselor, or another adult family member.

Planned Parenthood would reap the profits from “An act to promote healthy behaviors.”

This bill would use tax dollars to promote “community-based health and sexuality education services” across the state “provided by comprehensive family planning agencies.” Filed by Rep. Timothy Toomey of Cambridge, H2174 is in the Joint Committee on Public Health.

“An act updating public health laws” would repeal restrictions on the sale of abortion-inducing drugs or medical devices to cause abortions. It would also scrap a requirement that second- and third-trimester

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Easter Sunday, April 12 One-hour special at 11:30 a.m.

Celebrant is Bishop George W. Coleman, Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River

abortions be done in hospitals.

Filed by Rep. Ellen Story of Amherst, H1745 is in the Judiciary Committee.

A bill to repeal the law curtailing free speech within a 35-foot radius of abortion clinics was filed by Rep. Robert Hargraves of Groton, but as of press time it had not been given a number or sent to committee.

However, a judicial challenge to the “buffer zone” law’s constitutionality appears hopeful, said Moran, president of the Pro-Life Legal Defense Fund and an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF.) In January 2008, ADF lawyers filed suit against the state’s 2007 law. In McCullen v. Coakley, the ADF said the statute is an infringement on First Amendment rights because it essentially limits the free speech of Pro-Life advocates and sidewalk counselors.

Under the law, first-time “violators” face a fine of up to $500 and three months in jail.

Repeat “offenders” face fines of up to $5,000 and two-and-ahalf years in prison. The buffer zone is so limiting that even the Boston Globe printed an editorial against it.

But U.S District Court Judge Joseph Tauro disagreed. He said that the statute is “contentneutral and validly regulates the time, place and manner of expressive activity.” ADF lawyers

appealed his ruling this January.

“We believe Judge Tauro misinterpreted the law,” Moran said. “In a similar case in Palm Beach, Fla., the judge — relying on the same cases that Judge Tauro relied on — came to a completely different finding.

“If the Appeals Court affirms the lower court decision, you’ll have two district courts in diametrically opposite rulings. That means the Supreme Court will in all probability want to resolve the differences,” he said. “We believe that we have the law on our side and will ultimately prevail if it ends up at the Supreme Court.”

The Pro-Life “Woman’s right to know bill” reappeared this year as H1670. This informed

consent bill is sponsored by MCFL and was filed by Rep. Elizabeth Poirier of Attleboro, Jeffrey Perry of Sandwich and Angelo Scaccia of Boston.

It calls for making available the following information at least 24 hours prior to an abortion: the father’s legal responsibilities; alternatives and support services; possible risks of pregnancy and abortion; and accurate medical facts on an unborn child’s development.

MCFL Executive Director Marie Sturgis said the bill will probably not be heard until next year. It is dubbed “Laura’s Law” in memory of Laura Hope Smith of Sandwich, who died along with her unborn child during a legal abortion in Hyannis.

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The Anchor

April 10, 2009

Reiki Therapy unscientific, ‘Inappropriate for Catholic institutions,’ say bishops’ guidelines

WASHINGTON — The U.S. the Reiki practitioner to the pa- reliably produce the anticipated bishops have issued guidelines tient.” results.” that call Reiki therapy, an alThe Guidelines state that In sum, Reiki therapy “finds ternative medicine originating “Reiki lacks scientific credibil- no support either in the findings in Japan, unscientific and inap- ity” and “has not been accepted of natural science or in Christian propriate for Catholic institu- by the scientific and medical belief,” the Guidelines state. tions. communities as an effective “For a Catholic to believe in They outlined the position in therapy.”

Reiki therapy presents insoluble “Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki “Reputable scientific studies problems,” the Guidelines state. as an Alternative Therapy.” The attesting to the efficacy of Reiki “In terms of caring for one’s guidelines were developed by are lacking, as is a plausible sci- physical health or the physical the United States Conference entific explanation as to how it health of others, to employ a of Catholic Bishops’ Commit- could possibly be efficacious,” technique that has no scientific tee on Doctrine, chaired by they state. support (or even plausibility) Bishop William Lori is generally not pruof Bridgeport, Conn. dent.” or a Catholic to believe in They were approved The guidelines warn Reiki therapy presents insolu- that in using Reiki for by the USCCB Administrative Commit- ble problems,” the Guidelines state. “In one’s spiritual health, tee, March 24, during terms of caring for one’s physical health “there are important its spring meeting in dangers.”

Washington. The Ad- or the physical health of others, to em“To use Reiki one ministrative Commit- ploy a technique that has no scientific would have to accept tee is the authoritative support (or even plausibility) is generally at least in an implicit body of the USCCB not prudent.” way central elements to approve committee of the worldview that statements. undergirds Reiki theoThe document can be found The Guidelines note that ry, elements that belong neither at http://www.usccb.org/dpp/ “Reiki is frequently described to Christian faith nor to natudoctrine.htm as a ‘spiritual’ kind of healing ral science. Without justificaThe Guidelines describe as opposed to the common med- tion either from Christian faith Reiki as a healing technique ical procedures of healing using or natural science, however, a “invented in Japan in the late physical means.” They assert, Catholic who puts his or her 1800s by Mikao Usui, who was however, that there is a radical trust in Reiki would be operatstudying Buddhist texts.” The difference between Reiki ther- ing in the realm of superstition, guidelines state that “accord- apy and the healing by divine the no-man’s-land that is neither ing to Reiki teaching, illness is power in which Christians be- faith nor science,” they state. caused by some kind of disrup- lieve: “for Christians the access “Superstition corrupts one’s tion or imbalance in one’s ‘life to divine healing is by prayer worship of God by turning energy.’ A Reiki practitioner ef- to Christ as Lord and Savior, one’s religious feeling and fects healing by placing his or while the essence of Reiki is practice in a false direction,” her hands in certain positions not a prayer but a technique that the Guidelines state. “While on the patient’s body in order is passed down from the ‘Reiki sometimes people fall into suto facilitate the flow of Reiki, Master’ to the pupil, a tech- perstition through ignorance, it the ‘universal life energy,’ from nique that once mastered will is the responsibility of all who teach in the name of the Church to eliminate such ignorance as much as possible.”

“Since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for Catholic institutions, such as Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, or persons representing the Church, such as Catholic chaplains, to promote or to provide support for Reiki therapy,” the Guidelines said.

“F

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April 10, 2009

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15

Stonehill students help Hurricane Ike victims pick up the pieces

By Matt Giles Special to The Anchor

PORT BOLIVAR, Texas — Looking out the window of the bus as it rolled through the upper part of the Bolivar Peninsula, my friend gasped and said, “It looks like a bomb went off.” Indeed it did. Stretched out across the land in either direction was destruction. Shattered homes struggled to remain standing on crippled pilings, trees were uprooted and scattered, and those buildings that did remain standing were all but abandoned. The Catholic church, about midway up the peninsula, barely stood, its steeple gone and the sanctuary crushed beneath crumbling brick. No Mass had been celebrated on the peninsula for six months, not since Hurricane Ike carved this path of destruction across the Texas coastline.

Only a month ago, I had never heard of Port Bolivar, a small port town on the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula, a slender finger of land just north of Galveston, about 30 minutes by ferry. Nor had I heard of San Leon nor of La Marque nor of Texas City, but these places became my home for a week while I traveled with 41 other students from Stonehill College on one of the annual HOPE trips offered by Campus Ministry.

I began to dedicate myself to consistent volunteer service in high school, primarily because it was a requirement in my school district, but the more I served others the more I found myself also being served and the more I saw myself growing as a person.

When I rediscovered my faith and returned to the Church at the beginning of college, service work began to take on a whole new meaning. These people I served, mostly immigrants from Cape Verde and the Caribbean, became Christ for me. They became an outlet to receive the strong love I had for Christ and they helped me to cope with the desire for a physically-present Christ in my daily life.

While in Texas, we helped people from all walks of life and of all faiths to rebuild the lives that had been shattered by Hurricane Ike. What startled me the most was not just the destruction but the fact that so few people seemed to know about or care about what was happening in this part of the country. I remember when Hurricane Ike struck and I recall hearing about the destruction, but I had no idea how bad it actually was. Our cramped charter bus pulled up alongside

homes that had not been entered in six months and it drove alongside homes that no longer existed, just vacant lots.

Sifting through the wreckage of a home, I became aware of the fact that I was standing in what used to be someone’s kitchen. I would pry a blender, a pot, and several plates out of the thick mud,

Stonehill College Matt Giles

student

saturated by sewage because the pipes that once led to the septic tank had broken. Yearbooks and family photo albums were lodged in thick clay underneath heaps of wood and broken glass. While tearing down drywall in one woman’s destroyed home, I found an open box of cold medicine sitting on a shelf beside. It became a startling reminder to me that a person of flesh and blood not unlike my own, a child of Christ, had once lived here.

Style @

A country that assumes everything has gotten better has abandoned women like this. The truth is that so much more work needs to be done. Insurance companies refuse to pay; FEMA refuses to do the work, and the stories of these people remain strangely absent from the mainstream media. In Texas, people are still struggling to pull their homes out from beneath the mountains of sand and clay the storm surge dumped all across the coastline, choking out plant life and leaving the landscape looking barren like a desert. People here are crying out for help but people either do not know they are calling or refuse to listen.

Recalling the exhortation of Moses, “Take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children” (Dt 4:9), I have shared my story with you so that these people may not be forgotten. Lent is a time to remember the cries of the poor and the forgotten — they are worthy of our help, and they need as much of it as they can get, especially the people of southeastern Texas — and to act in giving of ourselves to alleviate their lot.

Matt Giles grew up in Natick, and is a junior at Stonehill College. For more information about how to help out, visit nrn.org.

Discounted Prices ▼ Deep

TOTAL DESTRUCTION — Not much has changed since Sept.

13, 2008 in some parts of Texas near Galveston when Hurricane Ike roared ashore causing death and destruction. (Photos courtesy of Matt Giles.)

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Youth Pages

April 10, 2009

A HERO’S WELCOME — A very lucky kindergarten student, Jayden LaFleur, recently received a very special classroom visit from his dad, Thomas LaFleur, who arrived home from Iraq on St. Joseph’s day. Thomas LaFleur was serving his country in Iraq for the last nine months.

TIME WELL SPENT — Youth from Annunciation of the Lord Parish share some quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament during a 24-hour fast program at the Taunton parish.

Taunton youth fast, pray and raise funds for the poor at Lenten event

TAUNTON — Every year during Lent youth at Annunciation of the Lord Parish have traditionally participated in the CRS food fast. This year they decided to do something a bit different and held a 24 -hour fast to support Food for the Poor and specifically their work in Haiti.

They set a fund-raising goal of $2,600 and the youth not only achieved the goal, they surpassed it. The aim was to raise enough money to provide a home for a needy family in Haiti. Through their efforts the youth were able to donate a home and were also able to provide the funds to add a water pump to a village.

The youths voluntarily participated in a modified fast. They had a variety of activities to keep things spiritually enriching and fun. They held their fast the same weekend as the pilgrims did their annual Lenten penitential walk. It is a highlight for them to go out and meet the pilgrims as they approach the church. The youngsters spent time praying the rosary, having quiet time in adoration, built a “third world” home and attended Mass together.

At the end of the event the broke the fast by sharing a simple meal of bread and soup.

CROSS SECTION — Santo Christo Parish’s confirmation class in Fall River recently participated in a weekend retreat at Oakhurst Retreat Center in Whitinsville.

The candidates are preparing for the reception of the sacrament of confirmation on April 27.

THE POWER OF THE PEN — The VFW Patriot’s Pen nationwide competition gives students in grades six-eight the opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy. The theme for 2008-2009 was “Why America’s Veterans Should Be Honored.” Commander James Morrissey from Mansfield’s VFW Post 3264 sponsored several local students. Winners were judged on their knowledge of the theme and how well they related it to their own thinking and/or experiences. Four students from St. Mary’s School, Mansfield, placed at the local and district levels. From left: firstplace winner for the district, Adam Birmingham, Grade Eight, who will represent the district in a state-wide ceremony in April; Kelsey Christian, First Place, Grade Eight; Brennan Bissonette, Second Place, Grade Seven; Caroline Rubino, Third Place, Grade Eight; and William Palanza, Fourth Place, Grade Eight.

ANCHOR’S YOUNGEST FAN — Christopher Tyburski of Philadelphia, Penn., may be The Anchor’s youngest regular reader. At four years old, he practices his burgeoning reading skills by reading the diocesan paper out loud with his parents Jonathan and Johanna. (Photo provided by Johanna Tyburski)

April 10, 2009

“G

od so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (Jn 3:16). Imagine God so intensely in love with his creation that he would offer his only Son as its savior. This is Emmanuel, God, who lived among us so that we could better understand him face to face and heart to heart. It was the only real way to save us from our sins — to see our God as a human being. But, at what a price. With arms outstretched and his crucified body mocked by the very people he came to save, he cried out with the same great love with which he came into the world, “Father, forgive them.” And by Christ’s death we have been given a resurrection of hope.

I have been in parish ministry all my adult life, working with the young of our Church in the hope of drawing them closer to Christ. As an adolescent I remember how hard it was to come to accept that Jesus is a real person in my life. I had no problem in accepting Jesus as a real historical figure. It would be hard not to, considering the myriad books written about him throughout history. To accept his

Youth Pages The resurrection of hope

reality, Body and Blood, Soul were the only person who had and Divinity, however, was a lot sinned, just for you. His loving for a young kid to grasp. But eyes see you from the cross.” I with age came wisdom and understanding, stronger faith and profound hope.

I am witness to that in my own life. And I have also witnessed it in others.

This past month our confirmation class was on

By Ozzie Pacheco a weekend retreat. They were asked this question and were allowed to share their answer with their classmates: believe David knows that Jesus What was your impression of did everything he did for his sake Jesus when you were young and ... and for yours. So in gratitude, what is your impression of him what can you offer Jesus? Offer today? I heard many good anJesus yourself. Accept Jesus truly swers, but a young man’s answer present in your life by acceptstood out among the rest. David ing, forgiving, and loving others. stood up and said, “When I was Jesus simply accepts, forgives and young, Jesus was a guy in the sky. loves: just as simple as David now Now, Jesus is real to me.” What recognizes Jesus in others. That’s changed in David’s life over the the greatest gift you can give. years for him to accept that Jesus So, on this Good Friday as we is a real person, today? Has David commemorate the death of the truly grasped God’s great love lover of our souls, I share with for him? Father Thomas Kocik, you this prayer; An Irish Blessing: in one of his Lenten Mission I wish you not a path devoid of sermons said, “One of the saints clouds, nor a life on a bed of rossays that Jesus would have done es, nor that you might never need everything he did and suffered regret, nor that you should never everything he suffered even if you feel pain. No, that is not my wish

Be Not Afraid

for you. My wish for you is this: That you might be brave in times of trials, when others lay crosses upon your shoulders.

When mountains must be climbed and chasms are to be crossed; when hope can scarce shine through. That every gift God gave you might grow along with you and let you give the gift of joy to all who care for you. That you may always have a friend who is worth that name, whom you can trust,

17 and who helps you in times of sadness, who will defy the daily storms of life at your side. One more wish I have for you: That in every hour of joy or pain you may feel God close to you. This is my wish for you, and for who cares for you. This is my hope for you now and forever. May this Easter, and every day of your life, be your resurrection of hope. Jesus is that hope.

Happy Easter.

Ozzie Pacheco is Faith Formation director at Santo Christo Parish, Fall River.

Matt Benoit Committee offering $20,000 in scholarships The Matt T. Benoit Memorial Scholarship Board of Directors is in the process of accepting scholarship applications. Scholarships will be awarded to qualified college-bound graduating seniors. The Board plans to give up to $20,000 in scholarships to seniors from any area high school.

At least one scholarship will be awarded at both Westport High School and Bishop Stang High School. The number of scholarships given will be determined by the Board of Directors. Last year 17 qualified seniors from various high schools received scholarships.

Applications are available at the guidance of- Matt T. Benoit fice of all area high schools or online at neverforgetmatt.com. Completed applications are to be sent to the Matt T. Benoit Memorial Scholarship Fund P.O. Box 386 Westport, Mass.

02790. Deadline for applications is Apri115, 2009.

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The Anchor

April 10, 2009

GIGANTIC BABY SHOWER — From left are Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women members Claudette Armstrong, DCCW president and parishioner at St. Louis de France Parish, Swansea; Muriel Patenaude, St. Louis de France Parish, Swansea; Terri Louis, St. Mary’s Parish, Dartmouth; and Lynette Ouellette, St. George’s Parish, Westport. They pose alongside some of the items they’ve either made or collected for new mothers at several area hospitals. This is the second consecutive year that the DCCW is sponsoring a charitable drive for mothers and their newborns in diocesan area hospitals. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Diocesan Council of Catholic Women prepare donations for area newborns

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

AUTHORIZED DEALER:

MJL Specialties

FALL RIVER — For the second year in a row, members of the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women are collecting handmade and store-bought items to be distributed to mothers and their newborn children in hospitals throughout the diocese.

The brainchild of sitting DCCW president Claudette Armstrong, the charitable effort previously benefitted those who have given birth at one of the three hospitals within the Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.

This year, the DCCW is expanding its efforts to reach out to mothers and newborns in five other diocesan area facilities — the Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals, Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, Morton Hospital in Taunton, and A Women’s Concern Pregnancy Health Service in Fall River.

“I just felt there’s a lot we could do for our local hospitals,” Armstrong said. “People have donated items and some of us have made quilts. There are all kinds of items — bibs, blankets, quilts, hats, mittens, pajamas.

I’ve already made nearly 300 quilts myself. I make them and

other ladies tie them together.

Ninety percent of the items are handmade, but we ask our members in all the districts if they would donate any baby items.”

Armstrong said they’ve already collected more than 300 quilts and several hundred knitted hats. “I couldn’t even tell you how many items we have,” she said.

Last year, representatives from the hospitals went to the DCCW’s annual convention and picked up the items collected, but this year’s convention is being held at St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet on May 3 and they just don’t have enough room to store all the donations.

“This year we’re going to have the items delivered,” Armstrong said, “and board members will be going to help deliver them.”

In addition to the various knitted clothing and purchased necessities such as diapers and baby wipes, the DCCW is also looking for donations of small trial-sized items such as shampoo and deodorant that will be collected for the mothers as well.

“Last year it worked out very well, because we handed the items out on Mother’s Day,” DCCW member Muriel Patenaude said. “This year we’ll be collecting the items and putting them into a small gift bag.”

As president of the DCCW for the past two years, Armstrong selected this as the organization’s big charitable drive. After this year’s convention, however, she’ll be stepping down and it’s up to the succeeding president whether she wants to continue the trend or start donating to a charitable cause of her own.

“At every convention we do something — we’ve collected food, we’ve collected clothing,” Armstrong said.

“Part of the fund-raising we did in the diocese this year was to put together note-card packets that we sold,” Patenaude added.

“So that was our major fundraiser this year, really.”

Donations of handmade and purchased items are still being accepted from now until the DCCW Convention May 3.

The deadline to register for the DCCW’s annual convention is April 23 and there will be no registrations accepted at the door, so space is limited. This year’s convention will include a keynote address from Father Richard Wilson, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Parish in New Bedford, and also include a presentation by Christin Jezak on Mother Teresa.

For more information about the DCCW convention or the collection drive, call Claudette Armstrong at 508-672-1658.

April 10, 2009

Around the Diocese Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Adoration ACUSHNET — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Church, 125 Main Street, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., ending with evening prayer and Benediction.

FALL RIVER — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held every Friday from 8:30 a.m to 6:30 p.m. in the Lourdes Chapel at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, 529 Eastern Avenue.

NEW BEDFORD — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place at St. JosephSt. Therese Church, 51 Duncan Street, Mondays following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until 1:30 p.m. For more information call 508-995-2354.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the rosary, and the opportunity for confession.

TAUNTON — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, immediately following the 8 a.m.

Mass and continues throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., concluding with recitation of the rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street, holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

Miscellaneous: Miscellaneous BUZZARDS BAY — Artie Boyle will speak of his healing during a Divine Mercy Sunday service to be held at 2 p.m. April 19 at St. Margaret’s Church, 141 Main Street.

Refreshments will follow in the school gym.

CENTERVILLE — A Mass of the anointing of the sick will be celebrated at the parish center of Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Main Street, on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19 at 11:30 a.m. Refreshments will follow. For information call 508428-6019 or email: dianejdupont@verizon.net.

FALMOUTH — The Falmouth Knights of Columbus Honor Guard will present an icon of Divine Mercy at St. Patrick’s Church April 19 at 3 p.m. The Chaplet will be recited, a description of St. Faustina, and Benediction will complete the service. For information call 508-540-1808.

NEW BEDFORD — At St. Anthony’s in New Bedford, the novena to Divine Mercy will take place April 10-12, 18-19 at 3 p.m.; at 4:15 p.m. on April 17; and at 5:15 p.m.

April 13-16. There will be the recitation of the Chaplet and novena prayers and the opportunity for confession.

NEW BEDFORD — The Daughters of Isabella will meet April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Holy Name of Sacred Heart Church, 121 Mount Pleasant Street. The group is an international Catholic charitable organization for women ages 16 and over. For more information on membership, contact Elizabeth Almeida at 508-728-9483.

NEW BEDFORD — Recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will take place at Our Lady of Fatima Church April 19 at 3 p.m., including adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Refreshments will follow in the parish hall.

NORTH EASTON — Formation of Adults in Catholic Tradition classes will be offered beginning April 15 on Wednesday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street. Classes are free and open to the public and will continue through July 9. For more information, call Brother Joe Esparza, CSC, at 508-238-4095 or email jesparza@hcfm.org.

NORTH EASTON — The Joseph W. Martin, Jr. Institute for Law and Society, 320 Washington Street, will host a symposium on the Foreign Policy of Venezuela featuring Ambassador Julio Escalona, adjunct ambassador to the United Nations in New York, and Justice Fernando Ramon Vegas Torrealba. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 17. Admission is free but reservations are required by calling 508-565-1131 or emailing martininstitute@stonehill.edu.

STOUGHTON — A Mass and Healing Service will be held on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19, at 1:30 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 122 Canton Street (Route 27). The celebrant and homilist will be Father Joseph P. McDermott. For more information, call 781-344-2073.

SWANSEA — St. Louis de France Parish, 56 Buffington Street, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving commemorating Father Richard Gendreau’s 40th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood, on May 3 at 11 a.m. A reception will follow in the parish hall. For information, contact Nancy at sldfo@comcast.net or Lucia at 508-674-9746.

WEST HARWICH — Beginning Easter Monday, the Divine Mercy Holy Hour will be sung at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish, Route 28, and continue through Easter Saturday at 7 p.m. A Mercy Sunday celebration will be held at 2:45 p.m. April 19. No confessions will be available on Mercy Sunday. For information call 508-430-0014.

Support Groups

FALL RIVER — Courage, a support group for people experiencing same-sex attraction who would like to live the Church’s teaching of chastity, will gather for prayer and conversation on May 2 at 7 p.m. For location and more information, call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

Pro-Life

ATTLEBORO — Concerned faithful are needed to pray the rosary outside Four Women, Inc., an abortion clinic at 150 Emory Street, Thursdays from 3-4 p.m., or 4-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. For information call 508-238-5743.

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The Anchor

Holy Cross superior general asks President Obama to rethink his position on abortion

ROME (CNS) — The head Website of America magazine. ed States has a history of deof the Congregation of Holy Father Cleary’s letter be- fining the parameters of human Cross that founded the Univer- gan by congratulating Obama life “when it suits our self-insity of Notre Dame has writ- on being awarded an honorary terest.” One example was slavten to U.S. President Barack doctorate from Notre Dame, ery, justified by denying that a Obama and asked him to re- and said the university was black human being of African think his positions on abortion honored to have him deliver descent was fully human, he and other life issues. said. the commencement address.

U.S. Father Hugh W. Cleary, Father Cleary noted that The visit should be a “teachHoly Cross superior general in able moment” for all involved, many U.S. Catholics today feel Rome, said that when Obama Father Cleary said. their beliefs are dismissed withreceives an honorary ather Cleary said the United States out the serious attention degree from the Indiana they deserve. Catholics has a history of defining the pa- recognize that they live university and delivers the commencement ad- rameters of human life “when it suits our in a pluralistic society, dress in May, he should self-interest.” One example was slavery, he said, but also believe take to heart the objec- justified by denying that a black human they have something vitions of Catholics who tal to say about life ishave been scandalized being of African descent was fully hu- sues. man, he said. by the invitation.

“We want to be taken Father Cleary asked seriously. We insist on the president to use the occaHe asked the president to taking ourselves seriously; that sion to “give your conscience a take advantage of the occasion is why there has been so much fresh opportunity to be formed to “rethink, through prayerful protest and turmoil in regard to anew in a holy awe and rever- wrestling with your own con- your presence at Notre Dame,” ence before human life in ev- science, your stated positions he wrote. ery form at every stage — from on the vital ‘life issues’ of our He suggested that at his conception to natural death.” day, particularly in regard to Notre Dame appearance Obama The 13-page letter, dated abortion, embryonic forms of speak about how Catholics March 22, was made available stem-cell research and your “can be taken seriously for our to Catholic News Service in position on the Freedom of faith convictions without beRome. Father Cleary also pre- Choice Act.” ing dismissed offhandedly and pared an abridged version of Father Cleary repeatedly shunned; it is too offensive the text as an “open letter” to quoted Obama’s words at the to be ignored, it is unacceptthe president, which was ex- National Prayer Breakfast in able.” pected to be published on the February: “There is no God Father Clearly said in his who condones taking the life letter that he had been deluged In Your Prayers of an innocent human being.” with angry emails regarding Please pray for these priests Sadly, the priest said, legalized Notre Dame’s invitation to the during the coming weeks abortion implies that a person’s president. He explained that he April 13 choice for personal freedom su- has no authority over the deciDeacon Joseph P. Stanley Jr., 2006 persedes this obligation to pro- sion-making by the university, April 14 which is directed by a board of tect and nurture human life.

Rev. Louis N. Dequoy, Pastor, Safellows and a board of trust“An ‘unwanted’ child comes cred Heart, North Attleboro, 1935 in many forms: an untimely ees.

Rev. Cosmas Chaloner, SS.CC., St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet, 1977 Priests and brothers of the presence; a disabled or deHoly Cross Congregation conformed creature; an embryo April 15 of the wrong sex; a child con- tinue to serve at the university, Rev. Christopher G. Hughes, D.D., Retired Rector, St. Mary’s Catheceived out of wedlock; a child and the university’s president dral, Fall River, 1908 conceived through a hideous — at present, Father John I. Jenkins — is always a Holy crime,” he said.

April 16 Rev. Arthur E. Langlois, on sick Father Cleary said the Unit- Cross priest.

F

leave, Denver, Colo., 1928 Rev. Norman F. Lord, C.S.Sp., Hemet, Calif., 1995 Rev. John W. Pegnam, USN, Retired Chaplain, 1996

April 18 Rev. Hugh B. Harrold, Pastor, St. Mary, Mansfield, 1935 Rt. Rev. John F. McKeon, P.R., Pastor, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1956 Rev. Joao Vieira Resendes, Retired Pastor, Espirito Santo, Fall River, 1984 Rev. Wilfred C. Boulanger, M.S., La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, 1985 Rev. George E. Amaral, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, Taunton, 1992 April 19 Rev. William Wiley, Pastor, St. Mary, Taunton, 1855 Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Duart, Pastor, St. Peter the Apostle, Provincetown, 1975 Rev. Daniel E. Carey, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Retired Pastor, St. Dominic, Swansea, 1990 Rev. Msgr. Antonino C. Tavares, Pastor, Santo Christo, Fall River, 2008

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The Anchor

May the joy of the risen Christ be with you throughout the year

The Anchor staff would like to wish all our faithful readers a blessed Easter season.

From the community of St. Pius X Parish South Yarmouth, MA Father George C. Bellenoit, Pastor

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish 2282 Route 6, Wellfleet Pastor: John F. Andrews Permanent Deacons: Joseph K. Kane

Stephen F. Minninger

Good Friday: 3:00 p.m.

Holy Saturday: 7:00 p.m.

Easter Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.

Organist & Choir Director: Vicky Anderson

April 10, 2009